We're still learning (and we'll continue to learn) how best to use our LCD to instruct the player. Since the LCD is integrated into the p/f and can highlight the actual shots players needs to hit, we can give them all of the information they need, right where they're looking while playing.

That said, while onscreen instructions seem great (and they can be), they have to be integrated properly into gameplay. Right before TPF, we replaced our placeholder mode introductions with short tutorials, explaining exactly what would happen in the mode and highlighting the appropriate shots. Some people read through the instructions (with most then ignoring them), and others immediately flipped to cancel them. A bunch of people who cancelled them then asked us what they were supposed to be done, heh.

Here's a short video from TPF (software at ~50%) showing all 3 of the scene modes. The player cancelled the first mode's instructions (warehouse) and watched the second one (Shootin' Range). You'll also notice in the third scene we used dynamic insert arrows to identify new shot objectives. Specifically, after the player shot some swamp gas, we turned on the insert arrows pointing to the canister and labeled them with "Store Gas". The canister shot is only relevant after gas is shot, so that insert arrow doesn't exist at other times during the mode.

Clearly we can (and will) do a lot to present the information in a more exciting manner, but we learned a lot from watching people respond to even these very primitive instructions.

The person who just walks up to the game to play it once or twice doesn't likely want to sit through and process a short tutorial (even if just a few seconds long). On the other hand, people who really get into the game will figure out most of the basic rules very quickly, making tutorials tedious. The trick is to present the information in such a way that they can learn from it without being overwhelmed by it.

Blinking insert arrows and such *are* instructions, at least in a simplistic form. With the P3, we're able to label those insert arrows based on the objectives they represent at any given time, so that helps define broader objectives that make use of the specific shots being labeled.

We've also started adding on screen instructions to indicate why things might not have happened as expected. For instance, if you shoot the mode hole when it isn't lit, an arrow will show up telling you to shoot the right ramp to light mode. If you shoot the right ramp again after lighting mode, you'll get a secondary arrow pointing to the mode hole (in addition to the labelled & blinking insert arrow), reinforcing the need to shoot the hole. Once we get voice calls integrated, we'll reinforce these instructions with callouts.

The p/f LCD gives us the ability to provide a lot more information (instructions, rewards, stats, etc) to the player during gameplay. The trick is figuring out the best way to present it. Luckily, it's all dynamic... so we can keep trying until we hit on things that work really well.

If you haven't already seen the more comprehensive gameplay video (recorded a couple of weeks before TPF, and already outdated. It has our old, temporary text-block mode intros), it's worth a watch:

- Gerry
http://www.multimorphic.com

Sorry it's not your cup of tea, Rarehero. We got a lot of very positive artwork reviews at TPF, but we fully understand that artwork is highly subjective.

With traditional machines, you're stuck with what comes on the machine. With the P3, you can swap it out in just seconds. They're simply printed magnets (and a translite). A whole set of cab decals costs about $150 from most local print shops.

We are (and always have been) open to constructive feedback on our artwork and hope to ship the games with artwork that appeals to a large majority, but we know we won't ever please everybody. If somebody comes out with alternative decals that the community likes, we'll be happy to work with the artists and potentially offer them as secondary options or just refer aftermarket business to them.

The P3 addresses a lot of the issues traditional machines present to consumers. Easily replaceable artwork is a big one... not just because of varying opinions but because of how much it simplifies cabinet repairs.

- Gerry
http://www.multimorphic.com

Thanks for that. Are you volunteering? I'm happy to discuss this with you in more detail.

We feel like we're defining a platform that can deliver the traditional pinball experience, new pinball experiences, and combinations thereof. We have a specific roadmap for our first few games, with Lexy Lightspeed - Galaxy Girl being a mostly traditional game and Cosmic Cart Racing being a little different.

At the same time, the platform will be open. Anybody who wants to build a game for the P3 platform can (and should) do so. You can take advantage of all of our playfield innovations or largely ignore them. You can build a traditional style game or something nobody's thought of before. You can leverage our cabinet, p/f infrastructure, control system hardware, software framework, and even our customer base. We've re-engineered the pinball platform from the ground up, and in doing so, we've made it significantly easier for others to turn their own ideas into games.

Pinball machines have pretty much always been closed products. We're changing that. I'm happy to discuss this in more detail with anybody who's interested (individuals or companies).

- Gerry
http://www.multimorphic.com